PSC110 Introduction to Renewable Energy/HW

This is a page for conveying homework assignments for PSC110 Introduction to Renewable Energy.

Week 1

Day 1

Orientation

Day 2

Topics covered: Introductions, Syllabus design, What is energy, types of RE

• Find and record a photo and location of an example RE from Spain
• Bring two other types/examples of RE from reading on Appropedia
• Find a credible number for the back-of-the-envelope equation from class

Day 3

Topics covered: Energy and power, units, significant figures, powers of 10, conversions

• Make a userpage on Appropedia
• Find energy portfolio information for Spain
• Convert 122x10¹² kWh/yr to a rate of energy use in quads/yr
• Photo, video or description of 1 N and .1kWh (make it physical)
• Read Power and energy basics
• Do sig fig tutorial (optional)

Day 4

Topics covered: Microhydro background, measuring stride and head

• Calculate max power from the creek

Day 5

Topics covered: Microhydro calculations

• Calculate net power from the creek using 3inch pipe
• Find and record a photo and location of another example RE from Spain
• Read Microhydro and follow some of the links
  • Ignore the difference between 5310 and 5302. We will be using 5310 gal*ft/(min*kW)
• Bring two more other types/examples of RE from reading on Appropedia

Week 2

Day 1

Topics covered: Solar basics

• Finish estimate
• Find US and Spain average daily household electric use
• Explore research topics, come with a research plan for tomorrow

Day 2

Topics covered: More solar details, Solar in Spain and solar thermal electric

• Start research project. 1st Final Draft due Monday.

Excel

Complete the following two tutorials (without actually printing):

• http://www.vertex42.com/Excel2007/excel-basics-part1.htm
  • Note that the Merge and Center instruction should say A1:D1 not A1:A4
  • Print and save as PDF (if you are not on campus and are using a PC, you can download and install http://cutepdf.com to be able to print as a pdf).
• http://spreadsheets.about.com/od/excelcharts/ss/pie_chart_9.htm
  • Print and save as PDF
  • Email me your completed excel tutorials as zipped PDFs.
    • To zip your file:
      1. Explore to the folder where your saved your PDFs
      2. Select both PDFs
      3. Right click and select Send to
      4. Select "Compressed (zipped) Folder"

Criteria:

• Fantastic - two pdfs zipped together that each look just like the link tutorial results.
• More than satisfactory - xls instead of pdf and looks exactly like the tutorial results OR pdf and looks mostly like the tutorial results.
• Satisfactory - xls instead of pdf and looks exactly like the tutorial results AND pdf and looks mostly like the tutorial results. Not zipped.
• Less than satisfactory - an attempt that looks like excel and a chart.
• Not satisfactory - an attempt that does not look like the results of using a spreadsheet program.
• Zero - not submitted.

Day 3

Topics covered: Global consumption sources, past, present and future

• Energy in 1 cubic foot of natural gas,
• Cheat sheet

Day 4

Topics covered: Biodigestors (with Alex Eaton from IRRI)

Day 5

Topics covered: Combustion and midterm

• Finish research paper and post to Appropedia

Week 3

Day 1

Topics Covered: Andrew Lamb from Engineers Without Borders UK discusses many of the RE projects that EWB UK works on.

• Make comments and suggestions on another student's page (as described in class) - find the pages at PSC110 Introduction to Renewable Energy.
  • Kalewa - Dye-sensitized solar cell
  • Phillip - Solar power tower
  • Shelby - Solar power tower
• Start group project. Check out http://bubbl.us (online) or google freemind.

Day 2

Topics Covered: Wind.

Day 3

Topics Covered: Wind.

Day 4

Topics covered: Synthesis

Day 5

Topics covered: Presentation of final quiz, final research paper, group project result and conclusions.